The Delta independent., 1887-02-08
GraYerard Fancies.

Ina ever SEQ 6nytnlnS buanSo
about grave yard? Well. guess il
you had seen as many strange things as
have you'd not bc asking mo such
questions" The speaker leaned upon
his things2 Well, I should think SO!
I've been digging graves here nigh onto
twenty years, and l should think in that
time I'd had opportunity enough to sea
m. Strange things! Strange in more
ways than one. It's all strange. Strange
folks are buried here; strange folks
come to the funeral; strange folks come
10 visit the graves afterwn,!s: and
stranger still are the tLirgs That happen
when every one is go.Ae away and the
gates are shut fof tie night-when
long shadows strctcA s.voss the gravel
walks and the white stones stand ont
against the gray sky like so many dead
people getting ous OF THUR graves in
their shrouds. Then it's 80 awfully
stilL I've lived in tt.st little house out
there by the gate, ~ l said, nigh onto
twenty years. and I've never heard o
sound after dark except tho screeching
Of the owls. Speaking about owls, it's
mighty wonder how they like to stay
about graveyard"
"Do they stay around much?" asked
the reporter.
"Why, yes. It seems like the grave
yard is their natural element, especially
when there's lots Of big trees and ivy
grown vaults. To hear an owl hoot in
the night here, as do sometimes, when
everything il still, would make your
blood run cold. They don't keep il up
right along through the night, so you
can get used to it; but it will he quiet
for long time-so still that you get
almost afraid to breathe, and the falling
Of the leaves stratles you-then all of
sudden you'll hear the long hoot-too-
toot and dull rushing in the air, as a
. big owl sails by and drops down upon
Q vault beneath the hill. Then oil is
still again-as still as them that's
buried there
II can always tell when there's going
TO be busy time here" he continued.
"Whn the owls are particularly plenty
and keep up an awful hooting during
the night look for the funerals next
day. They always come. When the
owls hoot it means funerals"
II don't like owls," !" the old man went
on scraping tho red clay from his spade
With the toe of his boot. II don't like
EN-; they don mean good. Dead peo-
pie are good enough in their way, 1 get
used TO them. But owls are kind Of
half-dead and half-aliye bird, and il
Ywarat that knew that they can't get
ct en-, I'd believe they lived on dead
people"
Don't you see any strange thing be-
ide. owlsf" asked the reporter, seeing
shat tho old man had run off at tan
gent and was likely TO talk about owls
al the evening.
"Yes, lots Of EN-. Strange people
come here. Some people seem to have
kind OF liking for graveyards," he re-
piled. looking at the reporter as il he
thought he might be counted in that
slasa Then, being convinced that hs
bad Dsvef .soen the scribe before, he
vent on: "Yes. there are lots of peo-
pie who know have no friends buried
here. and I don't believe have any dead
ones In the family, come here and go
ebout siglnng and looking miserable
over all the graves that have big stones.
Then they 20 oat as il they had a treat.
Then there are other people WHO &c to
all the funerals. They always go with
SAAC AAoutaO 0AA "a nAtA SohO VIZ ~ ~
they had lost dear friend. and when
It's all over they go away and wait for
the nsxt. They are always ON hand.
and get TO know 'em quite WELL"
"Don't many people come here who
do not take any interest whstever in the
piacs for its assAciations?" asked the
reporter. Lovers. for instance, who
come here TO tind some secluded place
where they can talk without being In
terrupt.I p
"Oh, yes; there sre lots Of lovers. I
can a,ways tell them when they come
In. Thee walk very slow and close up
10 escl other. and soon as they get into
thc grounds they make for soma seclud-
ID spot, as far from the gsts a. possible.
Then they try to look - II they got
there by accident. Oh, yes; there are
lots Of EN- But new complies are com
Ing all the time The old ones get mar.
risd and tLon thcy never come back
Again until they have TO, ~ sometimes
Ney do"
"It's awful sad then" he sddsd, - hs
bowed hiS head and looked thoughtfui-
ly into the dsup hole he had been dig.
giag. "Yss, Ne avfully sad when one
Of thsss lsvsrs dis: th. other takes %
% swtully."-HiSyAiu1t0S SE0v.